Homewood-Flossmoor Comes Up 'A Little Bit Short' in Championship Game

The Vikings tried to rally in the closing minutes of the Class 8A Championship game in Champaign Saturday, but they came up short, losing to Stevenson High by a score of 31 to 25.

“Sometimes the ball doesn’t bounce your way,” H-F coach Craig Buzea told Tribune Media. “I’m proud of our guys. I’ll take my guys over anybody.

“We came up a little bit short.”

With 51 seconds left, H-F’s Deante Harley-Hampton lost a fumble just three yards from the end zone. Homewood-Flossmoor finished the season with an 11-3 record, and two of those losses came at the hands of Stevenson.

H-F’s squad has many juniors in its starting lineup, making the Vikings and favorite to emerge as a state title contender next year.

“I told them after the game to keep their heads up and this game doesn’t define their season,” Buzea said. “They battled until the end.”

» more via Tribune Media’s SouthtownStar